What's The Best Burger You've Ever Had?

I was only recently informed that, by luck or (most likely) by virtue of some promotion, burgers will be arriving in our office today. So for this week's Off Topic, it seems more apt than ever to ask people to dive into their memories. Memories about burgers, of course.

Kotaku is fortunate in that our office is located fairly close to Bar Luca, one of Sydney's best burger joints. Their Blame Canada burger is the most popular item on the menu, but I prefer the cleaner taste of their Japanese-inspired chicken offering: a top fried chicken patty, wasabi mayonnaise and some lettuce. It's since been taken off the menu and replaced with a more American style chicken burger, sadly.

I've never appreciated those massive towers of burgers that looked like they couldn't fit in your mouth. The last thing I want from a burger is a pile of sauce and insides on the plate. If it's in the burger, I want to be able to sample it in a bite. Nobody wants to get splattered with sauce when they're eating out.

So clean and simple, that's the appeal for me. Although that blue burger was one of the more special items I've eaten in a while.

Getta Boss is my fav. Can't go past those smoked jalepenos. Having said that, the best burger I've ever had is the S.T.F.U. from Ze Pickle. By special request only, it's a triple stacked monstrosity with 2 layers between 3 grilled cheese sandwiches, comprising of slaw, fried onions, pulled pork, lettuce, tomato, 3 layers of angus patties cheese and bacon, with the second layer containing haloumi cheese, lamb back straps, and fried chicken. Mad respect, and my condolences for the incoming diabetes for anyone who can finish it in one sitting. I've managed it the once, and probably wouldn't try again.

For the record, the burgers and chips from the takeaway at North Curl Curl in Sydney are fantastic - the chips are made from fresh potatoes and are irresistible. Plus you can walk down to the beach to eat them.

The classic burger you list was a highlight of my formulative years. Chippy up the hill from my dad's used to sell em for $1.20 (stopping at the BBQ sauce), getting 2 and a battered sav was ambrosia back then.

Switching out the sav for chips or a spud scallop or 2 was acceptable as well.

Having said that, the burger scene here in Wollongong is pretty damn good anyway. One joint has won awards for whats essentially a $13 big mac, and I dont even consider it the best joint around.

Me and a few mates at work do a burger week on or around July 4th (date is for no real reason, just convenience) and have to miss out on some decent options every year. Good problem to have knowing you can go a week on different burgers, and still have others as backup.

Had a funny experience when a place my missus and I went to many years ago. She is from the US so had no real idea of that 'the lot' is. She asked the dude what's in it and he just says 'the lot' so she asked what is specifically in the lot and he was just 'it has the lot in it'. Pretty funny. You are right about them not being around much. This was in a pretty small town and the couple running it were getting on in years. Hope someone else has taken it up but I haven't been out there in a few years now.

I've had some great burgers from some of the trendy/hipster type of burger places that have been popping up over the last number of years. Getting a a hot burger and paid extra for 'death sauce' was certainly an experience, I'm game for another one again now, but will probably not pair with chilli ginger beer.

Had a couple of buffalo style chicken burgers that go down quite well, especially when you can pair them with amazing fat onion rings or proper loaded fries.

That said, I'm not above picking up an Angry Whopper or Zinger either.

Back in the day the only fish n chip place in Edi was run by the matriarch and patriarch of this fantastic Greek immigrant family - they could talk your ear off and always made people welcome - the plain burger (pattie, iceburg lettuce, onion and tomato sauce) was simply the best, I don't know if they baked their own buns or what, but my god it was irresistible.
Sadly, a number of similar take away joints have sprung up in Edithvale and the original family now longer operates - I've since moved on from my childhood suburb but was driving through recently and went in for a stab at nostalgia - was sadly disappointed.
Memories of being a carefree kid and getting some fish n chips, hitting the beach and then heading to Video Ezy to hire Shadowrun over the weekend.... good times.

@wa1dofoo, that's the one mate. Moved the family out to South Gippsland for a bit of greenery now, hardly ever get back to Bayside unless we're going into Frankston for some shopping, and even then, Cranny has most of what we cant find locally.
It's a shame, I miss the summers :(
How's Willy treating you?

Not sure about all time, honestly we used to have a cheap burger chain 'Big Chief' that did a lettuce filled cheap chilli burger that I loved. I got that once a week without fail.

These days I love The Trump burger at Burger Urge.

As for one off trips to burger places, I've had plenty, I'm a fan of chilli burgers usually but I have a love of burgers with peanut butter on them as well so if it has peanut butter or chilli on it chances are I'll eat it at some point ;)

Nothing specific stands out, though I did absolutely love the Serious Lamb Burger at McDonalds. Maybe not as great as the kind of burger Cooking Mama mentioned, but still the best thing I've ever had from them by miles. Wish it were always available so I had something to get for those rare fast food occasions, where there's only a few of the usual suspects available.

A few years back, McDonalds created the 'Name-It' burger, as part of a competition to give the burger a name. The actual burger featured a better bun, real cheese instead of plastic, cos lettuce... just a better burger in every way to anything else it had on the menu.

The winning name for the competition was the 'backyard burger', which I wholeheartedly approved of, because the burger was, essentially, the closest fast-food equivalent I've ever tasted to the kind of burger you'd make yourself in a backyard BBQ.

I could wolf those fucking things down. Several in one sitting. No matter how full I got... they just tasted so good.

I miss that burger. The craze that started after that was all angus beef and sourdough rolls... billed as 'gourmet', but they were never as good as the Name-It/Backyard burger.

Varsity is very good, though my favourite burgers in Perth now come from either Hood Burger (top of the pack but only available two days a week) or Meet & Bun (not quite as good but available most days of the week).

It's the quietest time of year and driving past last night the was no queue so had ferg burger for dinner. I think the freshness of everything is why it's so good. Having Fergbaker next door baking the buns during the day really makes the difference

I'm lucky enough to live within a 10 minute drive of Fancy Burgers, Burger Foundry and Nordburger (among a few others, too). Hard to split them as they're all equally good but different from each other. I go to Fancy Burgers the most, so I guess I'd give that my vote - the crispy bacon and cheese is awesome.

Needless to say, my local McDonald's and Hungry Jacks don't really get much of a look in.

There's a new store opening up where I live this August. Recently, they gave us a sample of what they were making, at this food festival that we had a month or so ago. They sold these tiny slider burgers with black buns, where the beef tasted like a real good chicken curry. Man, I loved that shit.

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